This invention relates to electrochemical cells and more particularly to silver oxide electrodes.
Conventional methods of making silver oxide cathode material may be divided into two types: electrochemical and chemical. In a typical electrochemical process, a sintered silver plate is anodized in a 31 weight percent KOH solution at room temperature. This method produces a cathode material that is capable of high rates of discharge but which has a very limited shelf life due to thermal instability. Chemically prepared silver oxide is made by the chemical oxidation of silver nitrate with potassium persulfate or ozone in KOH solution at 90.degree. C. The chemically prepared material is more stable than the electrochemically prepared material but has not been used for high-power batteries because of its low electrical conductivity.
It would be desirable to produce silver oxide (AgO) electrodes having both high electrical conductivity and high thermal stability and long shelf life.